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The Rocky Horror Show
The New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham
**** BIRMINGHAM on a cold January, Monday
night is largely eschewed by those seeking a night out. As we approached
the theatre, the streets were quiet, with many pubs and bars closed –
then we approached the theatre foyer. What a transformation! A sold out audience teemed around the bars in a
multitude of outlandish costumes and fashions, swapping notes on
previous tours and eagerly anticipating what was to come. This was the
place to be tonight. I saw the Rocky Horror Show for the first time on
the 40th anniversary tour, and was bowled over. My inevitable concern
this time around was whether anything could match it. The durability of the narrative, songs, and
production is a given. Nothing withstands over forty years of exposure
without being fundamentally strong. But keeping it fresh is always the
challenge. Yet it is a challenge that the producers well understand. Recast, and with a new production team, a young,
fresh crop of performers has been chosen, whose appeal is designed to
appeal to a new generation of fans. So Diane Vickers (X Factor), Liam
Tamne (The Voice), Ben Freeman (Emmerdale) and Paul Cattermole (S Club
7) don the basques, stockings, heels and other legendary Rocky
paraphernalia to reinvent the show. For this evening’s performance Paul
Cattermole was replaced by Zac Morris who ably played the roles of
Eddie/Dr Scott The venerable history of Richard O’Briens’ show, beloved by generations, is respected, and expanded upon. Hugh Durrant’s set is awash with a nod and a wink to cinematic homages to all the B-movie sci-fi films which were the inspiration for the show. A celluloid strip straddles the stage above which a live band provides the music. Director Chris Luscombe is also fully grounded in the show’s basic appeal - kitsch, fantasy, innuendo and fun, and has cast well. Dominic Anderson is perfect physically as Rocky,
the ideal perfect human specimen. Fit, masculine, with Johnny
Weissmuller style Tarzan leopard print briefs, as though lifted from a
1950’s edition of H&E. Diane Vickers and Ben Freeman ooze innocence and
sexual discovery as Janet and Brad. Both sing well together and
individually, but it is Vickers who stamps her authority on the role. Kay Murphy as
usherette, then Magenta, steals the show vocally for me on the best
song, the opener and closer, Science
Fiction, Double Feature. Choc-a-bloc
full of references to films and scenes which are borrowed from in the
show, it serves as overture and coda, sung in a slightly lower key
second time around. Every phrase, and every note was savoured by both
performer and audience. Her voice, tall frame, and elastic long legs
always caught the eye. Liam Tamne is a revelation as Frank N Furter. Of
course he can sing, but can he act and handle the ritual, largely
rehearsed, heckling from the audience? Yes, and with some style too. It
is narrator Steve Punt though who has to handle the majority of the
audience interventions. As a fulltime comedian he thrives on it, and he
dishes out more than he takes. The much loved part of Riff Raff falls to Rocky
Horror veteran Kristian Lavercombe, who has over a thousand shows behind
him and provides much of the oil to a well -greased show. Sophie Linder
Lee is a positively smouldering Columbia. The most famous number,
The Time Warp,
is riotous, aisle dancing, rollicking audience participation, and is
performed twice to make sure no-one misses out on the fun. What struck
me was that even on a Monday night, cast and audience gave their all in
an energetic, raucous and enjoyable performance. Richard O’Brien's Rocky
Horror Show plays to Saturday, 30 January, continues on tour, then
returns again in October to the New Alexandra Theatre by overwhelming
popular demand. Gary Longden
25-01-16 While basquing behind . . .****
PEOPLE who arrive at this unique Richard
O’Brien musical wearing normal clothing tend to feel….rather abnormal. The reason is, of course, that so many of the
audience join in the fun by wearing similar costumes to the cast, and
part of the pre-show enjoyment is checking out the customers’ crazy
gear- hairy-chested men in basques, stockings, suspenders and high heels
–one parted company with a shoe on the stairs - thers a spitting image
of the weird handyman, Riff Raff, and women in glittering top hats, and
plunging necklines. Back in the city for a week’s run – it returns
yet again in October – this 40th anniversary version of the Rocky Horror
Show is packing the theatre night after night and, as usual, earns an
enthusiastic standing ovation at the finale. The story opens with squeaky clean engaged couple
Brad Majors and Janet Weiss caught in a wild storm when their car has a
puncture, and they seek help at a spooky-looking castle which turns out
to be the home of mad transvestite scientist Dr Frank N Furter. What a
night of shocks and sex they experience. Radio 4’s Steve Punt sets the scene as the
Narrator, cleverly handling the inevitable – and rude – exchanges with
people in the front stalls, and there are amusing performances from
Emmerdale’s Ben Freeman (Brad) and X-Factor finalist Diana Vickers
(Janet). Liam Tamne, who shot to fame in BBC’s The Voice,
excels as Frank-N-Furter and the scenes where he is in a double bed with
Janet (who thinks he is Brad) then Brad (who thinks he is Janet) are a
hoot, but not for the narrow-minded. The above-stage band, directed by Ben Van Tienen,
are excellent with all the lively musical numbers, setting the tempo
early on with the Time Warp which has the audience on their feet and
dancing in the aisles. Directed by Christopher Luscombe, the Rocky
Horror Show continues to entertain, and – for some – no doubt, offend,
until 30.01.16 Paul Marston
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